Changeable exhibitor



De@ 9, 1930. E. voN DER LIPPE-LlPsKl 1,784,354

CHANGEBLE EXHIBITOR Filed OCT.. 24, 1929 A A l A gwwnto'p Ea/Z'ze van der 7/ l l r ll f f Patented Dec. 9, 193i) ra s PATENT OFFCE CHANGEABLE EXHIBITOR Application filed ctober` 24, 192.9. Serial No. 402,281.

My invention is an improvement in sign and picture exhibitors and relates more especially to that particular type in which means are provided for changing the char- 5 acteristics of the sign or picture, being an improvement on the construction of the advertising device shown and 'described in my prior application, tiled April 20, 1929, Serial No. 356,840.

The principal object of my present inven tion is to provide a signboard or scenic exhibit in which certain features or parts depicted on the. signboard or scenery displayed may be changed for the purpose of giving action to the sign or picture to increase its effectiveness as well as attract attention when the arrangement is used in connection with a. road sign. n

A further object of myinvention is to provide a changeable exhibit which will be operated automatically and in which the mech anism for making the desired visible changes in the sign or picture is simple in construction, durable and positive in operation.k l

With these principal objects in view my invention contemplates the provision of a changeable sign or exhibit consisting of triangular shaped bars having a plurality of media bearing surfaces `to show different signs or pictures on the several faces respectively, with some of the barsshorter than the others and interposed between companion bars for changing certain features of the sign or picture independently of the other bars; all as hereinafter fully described and more specifically set forth in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure l is a front elevation of a sign board showing one application of my invention. f

Fig. 2 is a verticaly sectional view through onev end of the sign board showing the preferred means for operating the main bars or units on the media. faces of which the major portion of the different signsv or pictures to be exposed are depicted.

Figs. 3, 4, and 5 are front views, enlarged, of a portion of the sign board having the short bars or auxiliary units for changing certain features .fof the sign orY picture.

, 'Figv 6 is a vertical sectional view of Fig. 3' showing the means for operating the auxiliaryy units having media bearing faces to be brought independently in coplanar relation to the media bearing faces of the main bars. n v f Fig. 7 is a rearview of the mechanism for operating the auxiliary units, and

Fig. 8 is a sectional view through one Vof the auxiliary units, showing means for light` a portion of the picture. v

For the purpose of illustrationmy inven tion is shown applied to a road sign including a picture in which the eyes ofthe face depicted are adapted to be changed vby diiferentpositions of the pupils, but it will be understood of course that the arrangement may be carried out on a larger scale so as to make visible changes of other partsy of a picture, as for instance movement of arms and legs of a gure that may be depicted in connection with a background of anyfnature, or chang ing the parts of scenery in connection with theatrical productions. f

As shown in the drawings the sign is made up of a plurality of triangular shaped bars or units l0 presenting a plurality of media faces, 10a, 10b, 10c, said bars being rotatable Y yto successively bring the diderent faces in a common front plane for exhibition of the several pictures, for which purpose the bars or units are evenly disposed in a plane and rotative on coplanar axes with stub shafts 0r gudgeons l1 mounted in uprights and operating ratchet bars 13 mounted between the upright supports and adjoining ends of the bars to engage tappet pins le' projecting from the bars to rotate the latter, as shown and described in my prior application for patent hereinbefore referred to. In the present instance also the main bars 10 are quickly operated or turned in one direction by the actu ation of the spring l5, interposed between one end of the ratchet bar and a-xed member 16, and in the other direction by a tappet wheel l5 having a projecting pin 16 engaging an arm 17 projecting fromthe ratchet bar vat the center thereof, it being understood `of course that the operating mechanism dei scribed is duplicate( at the other end of the p Vsign board.

For the purpose of increasing the effectiveness of the signs or pictures exhibited by` a plurality of media faces on the triangular, shaped bars'or units one or moreportions or sections of the sign or picture are depicted on short rotatable sections of the bars or tri-y angular shaped auxiliary units 1S interposed between `coinpanionbars or main units 10 f forming the picture, said auxiliary unitsbef y ingeach provided with a tubularv axis 19 throughwhich passes a shafti20'connectingf the adjoining long bars or` main units, where* by they may be turned independently ofsaid` main'gunits tok change 'certain parts of the sign or picture depicted on the media faces of said lauxiliary unit havinga ratchet tooth 22 engaging pins 23 projecting from the adjoining Y end of` the unit with ajslot 2li and pin orrodkr 24afto limit the movement of saidA auxiliary unit, said strip being actuated in one direci tion Vbysprings 25 an'din the/other direction aftappetwheel 26. In this instance however the tappet wheelis in the formof a drum 27 .v with `pro]ecting vpins 28 engaging laterally projecting pins 29 on vthefouterends of said f stri s,vr whereby the turningof the drum will pus on the strips against the action of the springs'y and'whenthe pins'on the drums are disengaged from the pins on the strips the "latter will bereleased permitting the springs to quicklyturn the auxiliary units. y

In the illustration media faces 'of auxiliary units' are provided for effecting changes in o -thel expression rof the eyes of the face, and v the enlarged lviews Figs. v3 to 5 sho7 more clearly a group of three units 18a, 186, and "lccby which the changes in expression are inade`,it` being understood of course that a similarigroup is provided with respect to,` the otherfeye yand inoved synchronously therewith, and thata group or groups may beprovided to depict movement or action of other parts of a picture,`scenery, etc. It will be readily .apparent that if it is desire-d to reverse the movement of the changeable part j the picture, as the eyes ofa face, ythe mechanismfor operating the auxiliary units "1,8, may'berduplicated to reverse the direction "of movement of said units. V

Iulorderto add to the effectiveness of the signffor ,picturefexhibih especially whenr 'y y lighted at night, I propose tohave the sevf eralpictures depicted on the media faces of thelong'and-short units ,which are successive-y ly brought into coplanarrelation,painted or Y printed in superimposedcolors that willbe f'lector 30 is mounted at the upper end of the Y sign or picture with different colored electricr lamps `31 and 32 withinv the reflector and adapted to bey successively lighted. Furthermore, when the auxiliary units provide for changin the expression of the eyes by different positions of the pupils said auxiliary units may be and preferably areprovided with an electric light 34 as shown in Fig. 80f the drawings, and to further add tothe attractiveness of, the sign a `phonograph or othertalking machine, as indicated in Fig. 1 at 33may be installed.' f

' A suitable motor (not shown) is provided for operatingthe tappet wheels and drums,

'with the necessaryinterp'osed gearingv for turning the'main bars or units in changing the picture and for turning tliefauxiliary unitsin changing the action of certain parts of the picture painted or printed on the ined'a facesv of said auxiliary units.

units 18a, 181),and 180 independently 'of the main bars orunits, inV this 'instance saidauxiliary units havingpupils'p depicted on the -media facesV thereof Vand in` difi'erentposi-V `tions, for instance face a of unit 1812 has the kpupil positioned at the center, in face b Fig. .4 the pupil is slightly above ythe center, while `facel 'c Fig. 5v is plain or white to show the white of the eye when either one of the other auxiliary units is positioned to show the pupil at one side or the other of the center of the eye, and'consequently face b Fig. 5 of unit 1'8ahas a pupil depicted thereon which will position it in the picture at one side while kthe pupil depicted on face b of unit 18o when brought into the picture is at the other In the operation of the sign illustratedand lcreased by rapid changes of parts thereof 'f i' in addition to lchanges in the signl itself by the turning of the main bars or unitsfas well as by changing the colorlof the light which is thrown onfto vthe sign at night;

,- 'From the foregoingfdescription it will be obvious that a sign, picture, or scene. orthc purposev of a. road, sign or yfor `theatrical scenery when exhibited by the media faces of the main bars or units, will be effectively changed to attract attention to a sign or increase the pleasing effect of scenery by the operation of the auxiliary units which will n ygive action to the picture. f-

Iclaims-A 1. A changeable sign or picture exhibitor Lacasse comprising a plurality of bars or units having media vfaces on which the diiferentsigns or pictures are depicted to be brought successively in coplanar relation, auxiliary units independently rotatable between adjoining main bars or units and having portions of the sign or picture depicted on the media faces thereof, means for turning the main bars or units, and means for turning the auxiliary units independently of said main bars or units.

2. A changeable sign or picture exhibitor comprising a. plurality of main bars or units having media faces on which the different signs or pictures are depicted to be brought successively in coplanar relation with some of said bars or unitsin spaced apart sections connected axially by shafts, and means fory turning said main'bars or units; togethei1` with auxiliary units with media faces mounted axially on said shafts between the aforesaid spaced apart sections, and means for turning'the auxiliary unitsindependently of the main bars or units.

3, A changeable sign or picture exhibitor comprising a plurality of main bars or units signs or pictures are depicted to be brought successively 1n coplanar relation with some of said main bars or units in spaced apart sections connected axially by shafts, and auxiliary units having axial tubular bearings through which said shafts pass; together with means for turning the series of main bars or units and the series of auxiliary units independently.

4c. A changeable sign or picture exhibitor comprising a plurality of main bars or units having media faces on which the different signs or pictures are depicted with some of said main bars or units in spaced apart sections connected axially by shafts, means for operatingsaid bars or units to bring the media faces thereof successively in coplanar relation, auxiliary units having media faces depicting portions of the picture or exhibit interposed between said sections of the main y bars or units, short pins projectingl from one side of the auxiliary units, thin plates interposed between the main and auxiliary units and each plate having a ratchet tooth successively engaging the pins on the auxiliary unit, a. spring for actuating the plate in one direction, and means for moving the plate in the other direction against the action of the spring to engage the ratchet tooth with one of the pins on the auxiliary unit.

5. A changeable sign or picture exhibitor comprising a plurality of main bars or units having media faces on which the different signs .or pictures are depicted with some of saidmain bars or units in spaced apart sections connected axially by shafts, means for operating said bars or units to bring the media faces thereof successively in coplanar relation, auxiliaiy units having media faces depicting portions of the picture or exhibit interposed between said sections of the main bars or units, short pins projecting from one side of the auxiliary units, thin plates interposed between the main and auxiliary units and each plate having a ratchet ytooth successively engaging the pins on the auxiliary unit, a pin on the outer end of the plate, a spring for actuating the plate in the other direction, and a drum having projecting pins engaging the pins on the outer ends of the thin plates to move the latter against the action of the spring for successively engaging the ratchet teeth with the pins on the auxiliary units.

' ELANE voN DER LIPPE-LIPSKI. 

